RAF

Happy travelling the world with the Red Arrows

19-year-old Ellie Morgan is an aircraft mechanic on the RAF’s Red Arrows team, based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire

“I left education at the age of 17 after finishing my first year of A-levels and decided education was no longer for me,” says Ellie. “Two years later and I am now working as an aircraft mechanic with the Red Arrows – a job I could only dream about when I was younger.

“After applying to join the Royal Air Force (RAF), I completed a 10-week basic training course at RAF Halton, which taught me standard military skills and set me up for the next stage of my career. To ensure I was ready for my first official posting as an aircraft mechanic, I also completed a six-month trade training course which taught me the technical side of my job – allowing me to get hands-on with aircrafts for the first time. You are taught everything from the very basics, so you don’t require an engineering background.

“I was posted straight to the Red Arrows at the end of my training, which was a complete shock but a posting that I was very happy with. I currently travel all over the world with the team and I’m mainly involved in the servicing of the aircraft. I also get the opportunity to fix the famous aircraft alongside engineers when I am required.

“My family are really proud that I decided to join the RAF and my dad loves that I am part of the Red Arrows. In the future I want to continue to travel with the RAF – both overseas and around the UK. I am only 19, so I still have my whole career ahead of me. If I could choose my next posting it would be to a squadron where I can work on fast jets such as Lossiemouth in Scotland, where they have both the Tornado and Typhoon. But for now I am more than happy travelling the world with the Red Arrows.”